Container for vending-machines.



. J. PRITSGHE.

CONTAINER FOR VENDING MACHINES.

- APPLICATION FILED DBO.3,190B.

934,907. Patented Sept. 21. 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. FRITSOHB.

GONTAINER FOR VENDING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 8,1908.

Patented Sept. 21. 1909.

2 BHEETB8HEET 2.

Q/Vihmano 6 fiaa/a WAS PATENT @FFKQE.

JOHN FRITSCHE, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BOOK MATCH SALES COMPANY, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CONTAINER FOB VENDING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 21, 19419.

Application filed liecember B, 1908. Serial No. 465,761.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN FRrrsoHE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Container for Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention consists of a novel construction of a container for use in vendlng machines and is especially adapted for the vending of articles having a tapered or angularcontour such as the well known form of book matches which is at the present time employed to a large extent for advertising purposes, although it is to be understood that my novel construction of container is not limited to the vending of book matches but may be employed for the vending'of any desired articles.

The vendin machine structure would preferably conform to a construction such as is described and broadly claimed in one of iny prior patents No. 901,091, patented October 13th, 1908, although it will be ap arent that any of the usual or conventional types of operating mechanisms either coin controlled or otherwise may be employed,-but since such structure forms no part of my present invention, I have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate and describe in detail such a device, since reference may be had to my prior patent, to which I have hereinbefore referred, for a detailed description of the construction and operation of such mechanism.

My invention further consists of a novel and simplified construction of a container wherein the number of parts are reduced to a minimum, the container being so c0nstructed that the blades forming the compartments may be stamped-out of metal or other suitable material, means being also provided for maintaining the parts in assembled position and the container being so correlated and arranged that the articles to be vended may be readily seen at all times.

It further consists of a novel construction of blades and novel means for securing them in assembled position.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred form thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that this represents but one embodiment of my invention and that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not lunited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a container for vending machines embodying my invention showing in addition a dis charge outlet. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a transverse section of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view showing the manner in which the blades of the upper and lower plates are assembled.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a table or support which is mounted in any suitable manner in or upon the vending machine structure and is provided, if desired. with a desired number of standards :2.

3 designates a discharge outlet for the packages which connnunicates with the container =1 provided with an open side 5 whereby the articles may be delivered exterior of the vending machine or in a position accessible to the purchaser, as will be readily understood by reference to my prior patent, No. 901,091, to which I have hereinbefore referred.

6 designates a shaft which passes through the support 1 and the rotation of this shaft is controlled in any suitable manncreither manually or by means of a coin controlled mechanism.

The compartments ofthe container are formed b a multiplicity of blades 7 the upper and ower' edges of which are provided with outwardly extending lugs 8 and 9, these lugs being located a suitable distance from the inner edge of the blades. The blades 7 at their inner ends are deflected at an angle to the body portion of the blades, as indicated at 10, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

11 and 12 designate upper and lower membersor plates which are provided with the slots 13 and 14 preferably in their outer periphery with which the lugs 8 and 9 are adapted to coaet when the parts are in assembled position.

15 designates a plate provided with a depending flange 16 and having a hub 17 through which is adapted to pass the fastening device 18 the latter passing through the rotatable shaft 6.

l9 designates suitable fastening devices which in the present instance I have shown as bolts which pass through the member 15 and through apertures in the plates 12 and 11 and also through the bottom plate 20 which latter is provided with a flange 21 which engages the lugs 9 to maintain the same in assembled position said fastening devices 19 being provided with suitable nuts 22. Y

23 designates the packages or articles to be vended which for the sake of illustration I have shown as the conventional type of book match employed for advertising purposes.

In order to assemble the container the bottom lugs 9 are seated in the slots 13 so that their outer face is substantially flush with the outer periphery of the member 11, while the upper lugs 8 are secured in a similar manner with respect to the apertures 14 in the upper member 12, it being noted as seen in Fig. 2, that the upper face of the lug 8 is substantially flush with the upper surface of the member 12 while the lower surface of the lug 9 is substantially flush with the lower surface of the member 11.

It will be apparent from Figs. 2 and 4 that as soon as the members 15 and 20 are in assembled position any improper movement of the blades 7 will be positively prevented and owing to the provision of the deflected portion 10 of said blades, the inner end of the compartment formed between the two adjoining blades will be closed, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3.

It is to be especially noted that the container, which is secured to the rotatable shaft 6 by means of the pin 18, is located at such a position above the table 1 that the articles to be vended rest upon the table 1 and as the container is rotated the different compartments will successively be brought into register with the .discharge opening 3 whereupon the articles contained in such compartment may pass through said discharge opening 3 into the discharge container 4 and since the latter extends beyond the casing or cover of the device such articles which have passed from the machine will be in a position accessible to the purchaser.

I wish to call special attention to the fact that the container is constructed in such a manner that the articles to be vended may be readily seen by the intending purchaser and since the compartments are formed by blades supported at their inner ends, the sides and the top of these compartments are uncovered and in practice the container of the vending machine would be incased by a transparent casing of glass or other suitable material.

Owing to the manner in which the blades may be stamped from the metal the container may be manufactured with great economy and if for any reason it should be desired to replace any of the parts this can readily be done since all of the parts of the machine are interchangeable, it being apparent from Fig. 4 that the blades 7 may be stamped from the material at a single operation.

Any desired number of blades may be employed and since these blades are preferably radially mounted angular shaped com art- 8 ments will be formed between the b ades which are adapted to contain any desired article to be vended and in the present instance, I have shown the device as adapted to receive two articles one of which rests upon the other.

In a co-pending application filed on even date with the present application, I have described and broadly claimed a novel construction of a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines in conjunction with which the present type of container is especially adapted to be employed and it is in conjunction with such a type of coin controlled vending mechanism that the present type of containerv is now on the market.

It will now be apparent to those skilled in this art that I have devised a novel and useful construction of Vending machine which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention and the above description and while I have in the present instance shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give 11 satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirlt and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. 115

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a container for vendin machines, the combination with upper and Iower plates 1 having an opening near their periphery, of a multiplicity of b ades having ugs adapted to be seated in said openings, u per and lower members having flangesa apted to engage said lugs to revent their lateral 125 movement, and means or securing the parts in assembled position.

2. In a container for vending machines,- the combination of upper and lower plates,

a plurality of blades having a portion 130 thereof deflected in order to form compartments having a closed back, each of said blades having near its inner periphery at its top and bottom a single lug ada ted to interlock with said plates, upper an lower members engaging said lugs to prevent their radial movement and terminating in proximity to the outer periphery of said lugs, whereby the top of the compartment formed by the blades is open, and means engaging said members for maintaining the parts in M assembled position.

3. In a container for vending machines, the combination with a stationary support having a discharge openingtherethrough, of a shaft rotatable above said support, upper and lower plates having apertures therein and loosely mounted on said shaft, ea multiplicity of blades havinglugs near their inner peripheries and adapted to be seated in said apertures, upper and lower members for interlocking said lugs and said plates, fastening devices engaging said members to maintain said blades and plates in assembled position, and means for securing ceived from such discharge opening,

the container formed by said blades to said shaft.

4. In a container for vending machines,

a support having a discharge opening therein, a container in which packages are rea shaft rotatably mounted and extending above said support, a multiplicity of blades comprising flat pieces of material having their inner periphery deflected to form a compartment having a closed back when in assembled po- JOHN FRITSOHE.

WVitnesses: k

H. S. FAIRBANKS,

C. D. MCVAY. 

